New York City police said Thursday they are asking the public for help in finding a man they believe is responsible for an anti-gay attack in the city's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood.
The incident occurred weeks ago — on Sept. 14 around 4 a.m. — but when asked by BuzzFeed News, police would not say why they are appealing to the community for help in the investigation now.
Authorities, however, released basic details about the attack and the suspect.
The victim, a 21-year-old man, was walking with another man on 48th Street between Eight and Ninth avenues in Hell's Kitchen around 4:10 a.m., when the suspect approached him "without provocation," and began making anti-gay comments. The suspect then punched the victim in the back of the head, sending the victim face-first onto the pavement, according to police.
The victim, whom police did not identify, was treated and released at a nearby hospital.
Along with releasing surveillance imagery showing a man walking shirtless in the area, police described the alleged suspect a 25-year-old white or Hispanic man about 5 feet 10 inches tall and 180 pounds.
Police are asking anyone with information related to the attack to call NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS.
On Sept. 27, police arrested three men who have since been arraigned on charges in connection with an anti-LGBT shooting in Bushwick, Brooklyn, that left one victim with non-life-threatening injuries. Two of the accused men were due in court Friday.